By Pierre Bastien, squash equipment blogger at squashsource.com
Usually in this column we cover the big-ticket squash equipment items such as racquets and shoes. But recently, I started thinking about just how many other things we carry around in our squash bags.
I have a nine-racquet Tecnifibre bag. It is roomy enough to accommodate all sorts of extras, including a camera tripod and other stuff I need when recording equipment reviews. But even excluding all that, I’ve still accumulated a fair assortment of items. Here’s an autopsy, from top to bottom:
- Squash racquets, naturally. Three of them.
- A printout of Peter Briggs’ classic hardball doubles strategy guide, which originally appeared in Squash Magazine. Jon will regret sending me this.
- Notebooks, pen and money. The notebooks and pen are for writing down my detailed post-game tactical analyses. After writing these down, I promptly forget about them. The money is in case my friend Jeremy wants to bet a fiver on our next death match.
- Plastic bag to collect dead squash balls, for donation to SquashCares. (Look into it.)
- Bottle opener. To keep your beers extra cold, look up the “Yaket Ice” ice pack.
- Exactly one Band-Aid. Why just one? Who knows?
- SD card for recording my epic matches, which I post onto YouTube and then am too lazy to watch.
- Assorted grips and grip tape. My friend CJ also swears by Dry Grip, which is an antiperspirant lotion often used by golfers.
- Water bottle. This is better than using paper cups at the courts: it makes it easier to consume loads of water and doesn’t waste paper. I use a S’well bottle with a removable twist-off cap, as opposed one of those Nalgene type bottles where the plastic cap whaps you in the face if you’re not careful. Hydration can be dangerous.
- Two color schemes, because I’m so color-coordinated.
- Small toiletry kit with a travel-size bottle of shampoo and a full-size stick of deodorant.
- Squash balls. Never can have enough—the game doesn’t work without one.
- Pullover for warmup/cool-down. This one happens to say “PSRA CHAMPION 2014.” Legend.
- Extra pair of socks. For when I forget socks.
- Sweat control: headbands and a bandanna. Curiously, I don’t roll with wristbands.
- Odor control for the bag: sneaker balls, plus a dryer sheet.
- Padlock—so no one steals all this primo stuff.
- Shoe inserts to cushion my aging body. Removed from the shoes for post-match aeration purposes.
- Last but not least—sneakers.
So what have you got in your squash bag? Send me an email pierre@squashsource.com if you’re feeling adventurous, with a picture of what’s in your bag along with a breakdown of the contents.
